Toy.



No. 804,907. I PATENTED NOV. 21, 1905. W. WHITFIELD.

TOY.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.11,1905.

, V M Q i I Witnesses: I Inventor,

4 Attorneys.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 21, 1905.

Application filed January 11, 1905. Eerial No. 240,649.

To all Lu/Mme it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM WHITFIELD, a citizen of the United'States, residing at Justin, in the county of Denton and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Toy, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to toys of that class embodying a hoop, having secured to its periphery a flexible supporting element which.

by being twisted will cause the hoop to gyrate in ahorizontal plane. Toys of this class as heretofore generally constructed require considerable skill on the part of the operator to make them operate properly, inasmuch as it is essential that the twisting motion of the cord shall be transmitted from a point coincident with the axis of rotation of the hoop. WVhere the hand alone is relied upon to impart proper twist-ing motion to the suspending element, it is almost impossible to operate the element in such manner as to cause the hoop to maintain movement in a horizontal plane for any length of time, and the result is that the hoop will wabble, and thus detract from the greatest part of the amusement attending the use of the toy.

It is the object of the present invention in aready, simple, thoroughly feasible, and practical manner to provide means whereby the proper twisting motion may be imparted to the suspending element to cause it to perform its function indefinitely.

l/Vith these and other objects in View, as will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction and combination of parts of a toy, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification and in which like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts, the figure is a view in elevation, partly in section, of a device embodying the features of the present invention.

Referring to the drawing, 1 designates a hoop or driven member which consists in this instance of two hoops 2 and 3 nested, within each other and pivotally connected at 1, forming, in effect, a pair of gimbals. These hoops may be made of any suitable material, preferably of wood, and theinner hoop in operation of the device is adapted for rotary movement through a prescribed are upon the pivots 4. The hoop 2 has combined with it a wire or cord 5, upon which is strung a ball 6, of any suitable material, which may be a plain sphere, as shown, or it may be ornamented by tinsel or any other material to enhance the beauty of the toy and also give a pleasing effect when the hoop or driven member is rapidly revolved. Secured to the outer side of the hoop 2 is an eye 7, which may be of metal or leather and with which connects one end of a chain 8, the otherend of which is secured to a shaft 9, mounted within a hollow handle or casing 10. Combined with the upper end of the shaft, in this instance through the medium of flexible wires 11, are two weights 12 and 13, the former being disposed some distance beyond the handle and the latter being disposed over the handle.

The weight 12 is, as herein shown, solid and may be constructed of wood, rubber, or any other suitable material, and the weight 13 is hollow and forms a counterbalance to effect poi sing of the handle in operation.

In manipulating the toy shown in the drawing the handle is grasped by the operator and upon a circular motion being imparted to it the weight 12 by centrifugal force is rotated, thereby turning the shaft 9, and this in turn twisting the chain 8, with the result that a spinning or gyratory movement is imparted to the driven member 1, whereupon it will gradually move from a vertical to a horizontal plane and rotate therein so long as-the handle is operated. Instead of the chain shown a twisted cord may be substituted therefor, as exhibited in Fig. 2.

As above stated, the'weights 12 and 13 are made of wood, rubber, or any other material suited to the purpose, and the connection between these weights and the wires 11 is preferably of a frictional character, thus to permit the former to be adjusted to and from the handle to varythe speed of rotation of the shaft 9. To secure this result, it will only be necessary to make the openings or sockets 1a of suflicient depth to permit of the weights being moved longitudinally of the wires, as clearly shown.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that although the devices of this inven- I tion are exceedingly simple in construction they present a neat and highly interesting form of toy and one which will prove attractive and very entertaining in use.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. A toy comprising a handle, a shaft rev.- olubly mounted therein, counterweights operatively connected with one end of the shaft,

IIO

a suspending element connected with the other end of the shaft, and a driven member connected with the free end of the suspending element.

2. A toy comprising a revoluble driven member,asuspendingelementeccentrically attached thereto, ahandle, a shaft housed in the handle and to one end of which the suspending element is attached, and adjustable counterweights operatively combined with the I other end of the shaf In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM WHITFIELD.

Witnesses:

J. H. JocHUM, Jr., J. Ross CoLHoUN. 

